Improvement in charts for key-board musical instruments



P. E. MASON. Chart for Keyboard, Musical Instruments.

No. 201,030. Patented March 5, I878.

mine 356s: I Inventor: 4%? m UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

FRANK E. MASON, OF CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK I V. MOCLEAVE, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CHARTS FOR KEY-BOARD MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 20l,030, dated March 5, 1878;

application filed March 26, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK EDGAR MASON, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Charts for Pianos, Organs, &c.; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in music-charts for pianos, organs, and keyed instruments generally; and consists of a back or support, in combination with detachable charts and suitable fastening devices, by which the said charts can easily be secured to the said support, and be removed or changed in any desired manner, according to the will of the player.

This arrangement is of great advantage, as several charts are thus combined with one and the same support, each chart being made in a different key or accompaniment from the others, and the chart that is desired for use is for the time being placed in front of the others, and held in its place on the support by means of elastic-band fastenings, or similar convenient fastening devices.

The back or support is preferably provided on its under side with notches or guides for the keys on the instrument 5 but they may be dispensed with, in which case the back and its charts are placed behind the keys in the space between the keys and the front of the case of the instrument.

Each chart or sheet is ruled or spaced off vertically, each space corresponding with a key on the key-board, and to aid a beginner, I have designated at the bottom of each sheet the names of the keys or notes above which the spaces are made on the sheet. If more than one accompaniment is printed on each sheet, I divide it in as many horizontal fields as there are contained accompaniments. Crdinarily I have three accompaniments in different keys on each sheet; but I may, of course, use more or less, as may be desirable.

To the left of each sheet is made a space, indicating first, second, and third chord, and in the vertical spaces above the keys is printed, to designate which keys are to be struck, the numbers 1 2 3, &c. or letters or other designs maybe substituted to indicate the first, second, and third or more chords. The spaces above the keys to be struck by the left hand are, for convenience sake, marked L H, so as to distin guish them from those that are to be struck by the right hand. The accompaniments may also be printed directly on the notched support; but this is not as practical as having detachable sheets or charts secured to the support, as the latter arrangement is less bulky, and can be handled with more case and freedom than a separate stiff chart-support for each accompaniment or more.

To use my invention, proceed as follows: Place the notched support with its accompanying sheetsor charts over the keys on a piano or organ or other keyed instrument, where it fits. This can easily be ascertained by passing the support, with the teeth at the bottom, from the left to the right, or vice versa, on the key-board. After the chart is in its proper position on the keys, and leaning against the woodwork of the instrument, the player is ready to proceed, and, for instance, if it is desired to play the accompaniments to a song or piece of music written in the natural key, or key of C, begin with the first chord, place the thumb of the left hand on the key or note directly under the figure 1, marked L H, taking the octave with the little finger below. (All keys marked L H are played in octaves.) All notes for the left hand are, for convenience sake, marked L H. The right-hand keys are played thus: The thumb of the right hand on the key or note directly under the space on the right marked 1. On same line to the right, place forefinger on the key marked second 1, and the third finger on the key directly under space on the chart marked last 1. YVhen the fingers are in the above positions, one stroke with the left and three with the righthand forms the first chord. In the same manner proceed with the second and third chords as the song or music advances, and ending with the first chord.

Care should be taken to strike the keys directly under the spaces marked on the diagram.

The above description applies to all the rest of the chords in any desired key or accompaniment.

By reversing the back or supportthat is, placing the notched part uppermostand keeping the charts or sheets in their ordinary positions, and placing the whole or one behind the black keys or notes next to the woodwork of the instrument it can be moved up and down the key-board on any note, giving new accompaniments at every note it is placed On the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my invention as applied to a keyed instrument. Fig. 2 represents the back or support for the charts or sheets. Fig. 3 represents one of the charts,

and Fig. 4 represents a cross-section of the support and charts on the line A B shown 'in' a a to represent the black keys, and b b b the white ones, on a piano, organ, or other keyed instrument, in the ordinary manner.

0 represents the back or support of my invention, provided with suitable teeth or projections (Z d, fitting between the spaces between the black keys, as shown in Fig. 1. 6 represents one of the sheets or charts temporarily secured to the back or support a by means of the elastic bands f f or other suitable fastenings.

What I wish to secure by Letters Patent, and claim, is-

The combination of one or more charts, 0 6, with the back or support 0, having the fastenings f f, as and for the purpose set forth and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. MASON.

WVitnesses:

- ALBAN ANDREN,

F. W. MCOLEAVE. 

